Ronette Va'ai

Watch Ronette's story of how she made friends on campus! Video credits: Jethro Martin (Director/editor/cinematographer), Billy Wong (Cinematographer) from Media Productions, University of Auckland. 

“I was very nervous leading up to my first day of university, but also very excited. I had heard so many stories from my sisters about their experiences and the fun they’d had, but also about what they had learned – not just in terms of academic study, but also in terms of learning about different cultures and different communities.

“Sadly, Covid and lockdown meant that initially, university wasn’t what I expected. So when we came back to university in person I promised myself that I was going to take advantage of as many opportunities and get involved in as many activities as I could."

“Coming back onto campus, I had almost forgotten how to interact with people. I had to force myself to get out there and make new friends. So at the end of my second year, I joined heaps of clubs.

“The first club I joined was the University Samoan Student Association (UASSA), and that was the first club where I felt that I had found my family. Then I joined Commerce ’o Pasifika, the Pacific Island student association for Commerce students, which is like your family at work. And finally I joined Velocity, which is a student-led entrepreneur and innovation programme run by the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE). That has allowed me to network with different people who have similar passions or ambitions to me.

“Each of these different clubs has really shaped who I am today. They’ve reminded me that I can have a home away from home."

“My Dad gives a lot to his community, and that energy and that drive to look after people has inspired me. Dad has always said to all of his kids that he wants us to go and find our dreams. So my dream, or my goal, is to give back what my community has done for me. I’ve had so much love and care from my community, and it’s had such a positive impact on my life – I want the same for my sister or my younger siblings. That’s very fulfilling.”